By Andrea Swayne
Age: 13, Shorecliffs Middle School
Connor Mateer. Photo by Andrea Swayne
Connor Mateer started surfing two years ago and says he enjoys the feeling of freedom wave riding gives him. He enjoys entering local summer surf contests for fun, but as a soul surfer at heart, he really has no immediate plans to begin a competitive surf career.
Connor enjoys surfing every Thursday before school at T Street as a member of the Shorecliffs Middle School surf club.
“I like my surfing the way it is right now, not ultra-competitive and just kind of mellow and social,” he said.
Connor is a straight ‘A’ student whose favorite subject is math. He is definitely on the college track and would like to have a career as an architect. Although serious consideration of college possibilities will happen a few years down the road, Connor has done a bit of early research and says he may want to attend a university in New Zealand where he has discovered schools with great architecture programs.
He also enjoys painting and drawing, mostly using paint pens and working on both surfboards and canvas. His favorite subject matter mostly falls under the category of surf art.
Connor has lived in San Clemente his whole life and loves it here. Looking ahead into the future, after earning his degree, Connor hopes to continue to call the city his home, he said.
